The libretto for 'Der Tod Jesu' was written by Karl Wilhelm Ramler, a Berlin poet and philosopher, commissioned by Princess Anna Amalia of Prussia.
Historical Context
Telemann's 'Der Tod Jesu' was overshadowed by a work of the same title and libretto by Carl Heinrich Graun, which premiered just one week later in 1755.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Karl Wilhelm Ramler's libretto for 'Der Tod Jesu' focuses on the emotional and 'sentimental' moments of the Passion narrative, rather than historical events or dramatic dialogues.
Composition History
Telemann's 'Der Tod Jesu' was premiered on March 19, 1755, at the Drillhaus in Hamburg, as part of a concert featuring two of his Passion oratorios.
Compositional Technique
Telemann's 'Der Tod Jesu' uses elements of Baroque affect theory, such as dragging rhythms, painful horn trills, and sighing motifs, to depict the Passion's emotions.
Critical Reception
Music critics quickly agreed that Telemann's 'Der Tod Jesu' deserved a place among the best works of its kind.
Recording & Production
This recording of Telemann's 'Tod Jesu' was made in the Schloßkapelle at Torgau, the first Protestant church in Germany, consecrated by Martin Luther in 1544.
